Yellowstone National Park Youth Campus

In Fundraising

By pushing the boundaries for sustainable design and development within a national park, Hennebery Eddy won a design competition for a new Yellowstone Youth Campus. Our architectural design solution proposes a campus of Living Buildings – the first ever in a national park – in the world’s first national park. Through the framework of the seven petals of the Living Building Challenge (place, water, energy, health, materials, equity, and beauty), the project seeks to create a healthier, more culturally rich, and ecologically restorative campus. In addition to pursuing the Living Building Challenge, the campus will also seek PHIUS+ 2015 passive building certification.

We drew inspiration from the dramatic landscape of Yellowstone National Park and the rich cultural history of the region. The buildings are arranged on the site to take advantage of dramatic views, with minimal disturbance of the site’s natural topography. We chose a limited exterior palette of zinc, weathering steel, wood siding, and gabion walls of local stone to create a durable exterior skin while also reflecting the natural colors and textures of the park. The open, warm, and well-connected campus will support interaction and foster life-long bonds between young campers.

The new campus is being championed by Yellowstone Forever, and the architectural design has been approved by the National Park Service Intermountain Regional Director. Construction will commence in 2019, with an anticipated completion date for the new campus is 2022 — Yellowstone’s 150th anniversary.